David Moyes will be happy to win "ugly" if he has to as he attempts to build his brave new world at Sunderland.

The Scot embarked upon a long-term project when he picked up the reins released by Sam Allardyce during the summer and set about the task of trying to ensure the Black Cats do not find themselves embroiled in a fifth successive fight for Premier League survival.

However, while knowing what the club is able to do over the remaining days of the transfer window could have a significant say in how the season pans out, Moyes has been boosted by his team's performance in defeat at Manchester City last weekend and will head into Sunday's derby showdown versus promoted Middlesbrough with only one aim.

He said: "As far as I'm concerned, the only thing I am interested in is winning, and it always has been. I hope to be able to do it in an entertaining fashion, but if I can't, I'll do it in an ugly fashion if I have to.

"While we are building and there's a little bit of transformation going on right now, it's a little bit of uncertainty exactly how things are going.

"I don't think you can get it quickly. I don't think it's just in this building, all around the city, we are used to bobbing along the bottom and I have to change that as well.

"But the only way I can change that is by getting a team on the pitch with the supporters' trust and believing they can see it going in the right direction."

Moyes has made no secret of his desire to recruit young players - he returned to former club Manchester United last week to land Paddy McNair, Donald Love and Adnan Januzaj, the latter on a season-long loan deal.

However, he was indebted to 35-year-old John O'Shea for his performance in a now unaccustomed midfield role at the Etihad Stadium and having added Everton old boy Steven Pienaar to his squad, is aware of the value of experience too.

The manager said: "Look, John will not play all the games, that's obvious, and we will always try to look to replace when people are getting older.

"But I have added Steven Pienaar to the group because I do need people with a little bit of experience and people who will give us that experience at times when maybe the younger players can't.

"We have talked about us trying to do some more business in the transfer window before it closes, so hopefully by the time the window shuts, we will have more like a group and a squad of players I feel as if I can mould into something which I would really like."